Best Rob Elba Podcasts (2025)

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S8E435 - Car Seat Headrest 'How To Leave Town' with Brendan Wright 1:05:48

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4h ago1:05:48

1:05:48

Named after the back seat of his family's car where he recorded the vocals to his early albums, Will Toledo's solo-project-cum-band Car Seat Headrest went from Bandcamp indie-darlings to headlining Coachella in a relatively short time. This week's guest, musician/songwriter Brendan Wright (Tiberius), brings us CSH's transitional 2014 release - and …

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S8E434 - The Flaming Lips 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots' with Lucas Ward 1:12:14

42m ago1:12:14

1:12:14

This week, we Zoomed all the way over to the medieval wine country of Romagna, Italy to discuss The Flaming Lips and their beloved 2002 release: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots with musician/artist Lucas Ward (The Silver Snails) "All we have is now All we've ever had is now All we have is now All we'll ever have is now" Songs discussed in this epis…

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S8E433 - Hüsker Dü 'Warehouse: Songs and Stories' with Mark Earnest 1:14:11

5d ago1:14:11

1:14:11

Arguably one of the most important groups of the 1980s, St Paul Minnesota punk rock trio Hüsker Dü paved the way for 90s indie superstars Nirvana and a host of others while never quite reaching anything close to that level of success in their short 9-year existence. This week's guest, Reno, NV musician and writer Mark Earnest (Kanawha, Manchild), j…

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S8E432 - Jon Brion 'Meaningless' with Tate Brooks and Silas Lourenco Lang 58:25

12d ago58:25

58:25

This week we're joined by Tate Brooks and Silas Lourenco Lang (two-thirds of the New Haven, CT band The Problem With Kids Today) as we unpack Jon Brion's long lost debut album, 'Meaningless'. Initially released independently by Brion in 2001 on his own "Straight to Cut-Out" label and sold through his website and CD Baby, it finally became more wide…

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S8E431 - Bauhaus 'In The Flat Field' with Oscar Herrera 59:22

19d ago59:22

59:22

Returning guest, singer/songwriter Oscar Herrera (The Sleep of Reason, Black Tape for a Blue Girl), brings us Bauhaus and their 1980 debut full-length: 'In The Flat Field'. Often cited as a foundational release in the Goth-rock genre, there's no denying this darkly theatrical, often ferocious collection of songs STILL packs an unsettling punch. Hap…

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S8E430 - 'Those Vocal Harmonies In That Song Got Me High' BONUS Patron-curated Episode 1:03:16

1M ago1:03:16

1:03:16

What is it about multiple voices singing a beautiful melody together that just GETS to us? For this special BONUS Episode, we asked our Patrons to send in a song with amazing vocal harmonies...that got them high! Caution: Ear-candy ahead... Songs discussed in this episode: You Still Believe In Me (Isolated vocals) - The Beach Boys; Live In Favor Of…

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S8E429 - Pixies 'Doolittle' with Allan & Barb Vest (doubleVee) 1:15:19

26d ago1:15:19

1:15:19

Returning guests Allan & Barb Vest of Oklahoma City-based doubleVee bring us a record considered by many to be one of the key alternative rock albums of the 1980s, 'Doolittle' by Boston's Pixies. Released in 1989, this collection of 15 short-but-potent songs was a thrilling shot of adrenaline that laid the groundwork for much of the nineties indie-…

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S8E428 - Microdisney 'Everybody Is Fantastic' with Alexei Shishkin 1:19:40

1M ago1:19:40

1:19:40

Hailing from Cork, Ireland, songwriters Cathal Coughlan and Sean O'Hagan formed the band Microdisney in 1980. After relocating to London in 1983, the band recorded six Peel Sessions for BBC Radio and released their debut album for Rough Trade called 'Everybody Is Fantastic'. This week's guest, musician, filmmaker, podcaster and radio host Alexei Sh…

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S8E427 - Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians 'Perspex Island' with Garry Messick 1:07:24

1M ago1:07:24

1:07:24

Returning guest Garry Messick (American Doom Podcast) brings us Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians' 1991 release, 'Perspex Island'. His third album for A&M records, it's yet another sterling example of Hitchcock's quirkily original - but always charmingly catchy - songwriting. Songs discussed in this episode: She Doesn't Exist (Robyn Hitchcock cover…

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S8E426 - Elton John 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road with Ralph Cavallaro 1:34:25

2M ago1:34:25

1:34:25

In November 1973, Rolling Stone record reviewer Stephen Davis infamously slagged Elton John's double album 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road', calling it - among other things: "a big fruity pie that simply doesn't bake". Ahem. Now often regarded as Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin's magnum opus, returning guest and music-biz veteran Ralph Cavallaro joins …

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S8E425 - David Bowie 'Hunky Dory' (Revisited) with David J 1:16:30

2M ago1:16:30

1:16:30

For one of our first episodes back in 2018 (S1E3), we discussed 'Hunky Dory' by David Bowie with then co-host Barry Stock. Honestly, though, for our first 20 episodes or so we were still finding our way and weren't even playing any music clips at that point. So when this week's guest, musician David J (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets), suggested taking o…

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S8E424 - Aimee Mann 'I'm With Stupid' with Robert Scheffler 1:03:45

2M ago1:03:45

1:03:45

New York City singer/songwriter Robert Scheffler joins us this week with an artist Rob somehow slept on all these years - Aimee Mann. Her second full-length, 1995's "I'm With Stupid", is the one that did it for Robert, and her deceptively biting songcraft and the record's dense, layered guitars made a true believer of your humble host. Songs discus…

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S8E423 - 'That Short Song Got Me High' BONUS Patron-curated Episode 57:20

2M ago57:20

57:20

For this special BONUS Episode, we asked our Patrons to send in a short song - less than 2 minutes - that got them high. As usual, they did NOT disappoint! Songs discussed in this episode: Fingertips - They Might Be Giants; Time: The Donut of the Heart - J Dilla; Just Another Soldier, Shit You Hear At Parties - Minutemen; Manifest - The Weakerthans…

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S8E422 - Television 'Adventure' with Arad Evans 1:04:35

2M ago1:04:35

1:04:35

This week's guest, musician Arad Evans (The Whimbrels, Glenn Branca's Ensemble, Heroes Of Toolik), chose to discuss a record by groundbreaking New York City band Television that's NOT 'Marquee Moon'! The bands follow-up to that classic album, 1978's 'Adventure', is sometimes overlooked, but the clever songwriting and magnificent dual-guitar orchest…

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S8E421 - Bob Dylan 'Bringing It All Back Home' with Willie Nile 1:03:08

3M ago1:03:08

1:03:08

Bob Dylan's fifth studio album - and his first to incorporate electric instrumentation - 1965's 'Bringing It All Back Home', marked a seismic shift in popular music that can still be felt today. This week's guest, Buffalo, NY-born singer-songwriter and rock-and-roll lifer Willie Nile, joins us to dissect this stunning game-changer of a record. Song…

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S8E420 - Lou Reed 'Magic and Loss' with Alan Zweig 1:36:02

3M ago1:36:02

1:36:02

There's no getting around it, 'Magic and Loss', Lou Reed's sixteenth studio album released in 1992, is NOT a particularly easy listen. While often musically beautiful in an elegantly understated way, the themes of death and the relentless toll it can take on both the dying and ones who love them are both universal and at times uncomfortably persona…

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S8E419 - Todd Rundgren 'Runt. The Ballad Of Todd Rundgren' with Chris Stamey 1:09:26

3M ago1:09:26

1:09:26

Musician, songwriter and producer Chris Stamey (The dB's, Big Star Quintet) FINALLY ushers Todd Rundgren into the TRGMH universe with the 1971 release: Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren. This beautifully written, performed and produced collection of songs totally fit teenage Stamey's 'lonely guy in a room by yourself' vibe at the time, and remains …

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S8E418 - Circle Jerks 'Wonderful' with Les Norris 1:10:21

3M ago1:10:21

1:10:21

Returning guest Les Norris (Radiobaghdad) channels his 16-year-old self as he joins Rob to unpack Circle Jerks' 1985 release, 'Wonderful'. Keith Morris and company dialed down the tempos and leaned into the metal for this, their fourth studio album, but at the end of the day their killer riffs and biting - at times goofy - sense of humor won us ove…

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S8E417 - Old 97's 'Too Far To Care' with Tim Hinely 1:04:14

4M ago1:04:14

1:04:14

Returning guest Tim Hinely (Dagger Zine, Where The Wild Gigs Were) brings us Dallas, TX band Old 97's and their 1997 breakout release 'Too Far To Care'. Coming up during the alt-country boom of the 90s that also included bands like Wilco and Son Volt, their love of both Hank Williams AND punk rock shines through on this fine collection of tunes. So…

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S8E416 - The Gorillas 'Message To The World' with Philip King 56:50

4M ago56:50

56:50

Originally known as The Hammersmith Gorillas, UK's The Gorillas were often thought to be the missing link between Hendrix, glam and punk. This week's guest, musician Philip King (Felt, Lush, The Jesus and Mary Chain), brings us their smashing debut album, 1978's 'Message To The World' Songs discussed in this episode: You Really Got Me, Leavin' 'ome…

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S7E359 - Led Zeppelin III with Karen Haglof 58:12

4M ago58:12

58:12

This week we take another swing of the hammer of the Gods with Led Zeppelin's 3rd release, Led Zeppelin III. Our guest Karen Haglof came up in the Minneapolis indie music scene in the late 70s, eventually moving to NYC and playing in several of no wave pioneer Rys Chatham's guitar ensembles and later with Band Of Susans, before taking a break to ea…

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S8E415 - PJ Harvey 'To Bring You My Love' with Ellia Bisker and Jeff Morris (Charming Disaster) 1:04:53

4M ago1:04:53

1:04:53

This week, Ellia Bisker and Jeff Morris of Brooklyn based Goth-Folk duo Charming Disaster joins us to discuss PJ Harvey, and her stunning 1995 release 'To Bring You My Love'. "Little fish, big fish, swimming in the water Come back here, man, gimme my daughter..." Songs discussed in this episode: Love Will Tear Us Apart - PJ Harvey & Tim Phillips; B…

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S8E414 - David Torn 'What Means Solid, Traveller?' with Mike Baggetta 1:10:56

4M ago1:10:56

1:10:56

Fresh off a tour with his band mssv (Mike Baggetta, Mike Watt & Stephen Hodges), guitarist/songwriter Mike Baggetta brings us a record he received as a gift when he was in High School that changed the course of his musical life moving forward: the mindblowing 1996 release by guitarist, composer, and producer David Torn, 'What Means Solid, Traveller…

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S8E413 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience 'Electric Ladyland' with Knox Chandler 1:18:46

5M ago1:18:46

1:18:46

Musician Knox Chandler (The Psychedelic Furs, Siouxsie and the Banshees) has made a career of using his guitar to create unique, otherworldly sound-scapes, working with a diverse array of acts including REM, Depeche Mode, Grace Jones, Marianne Faithful, Cyndi Lauper and many others. It's no surprise then, that the record that 'got him high' as a yo…

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S8E412 - 'That Guitar Playing In That Song Got Me High' BONUS Patron-curated Episode 1:14:44

5M ago1:14:44

1:14:44

For this special BONUS Episode, we asked our Patrons to send in a song where the guitar playing (be it a lead, riff, whatever...) gets them going, and got them high! Songs discussed in this episode: Funk #49 - James Gang; Killer Queen - Queen; Another Nail In My Heart - Squeeze; God Save The Queen - The Sex Pistols; Gypsy - Fleetwood Mac; Touch And…

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S8E411 - Sweeney Todd S/T Debut with Robert Dayton 1:11:37

5M ago1:11:37

1:11:37

Break out your glitter and stick some stars on your face, we're going full-on glam this week as author, artist and performer Robert Dayton (Cold Glitter: The Untold Story Of Canadian Glam) brings us Vancouver, Canada's Sweeney Todd and their 1975 self-titled debut. The band had a revolving door of members throughout the years - including a 16 year …

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S8E410 - The Damned 'Machine Gun Etiquette' with Karl Ueberbacher 1:09:54

5M ago1:09:54

1:09:54

Regular listeners of the show are already aware of Rob's lifelong love of all things The Damned. This week's guest, Karl Ueberbacher (Phoenix Records), brings us their third release, 1979s classic - and highly influential - 'Machine Gun Etiquette'. Is it the perfect punk record? What does that even mean?? Let's smash it up and find out!! Songs disc…

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S8E409 - Mr. Bungle 'California' with Dan Waldkirch 1:09:19

5M ago1:09:19

1:09:19

Strap in kids, this week's guest, A&R Executive, playwright and composer Dan Waldkirch, brings us the third studio album by Eureka, CA experimental band Mr. Bungle, 'California'. This weirdly dark, schizophrenically eclectic 1999 release may not be for everyone, but if you're of the musically adventurous ilk, might be just what the doctor (of Psych…

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S8E408 - Jane's Addiction 'Nothing's Shocking' with Nick Ramirez (Worst Little Podcast) 1:07:08

6M ago1:07:08

1:07:08

In 1988 at the 31st annual Grammy Awards, a new category was introduced: Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental. That night, Metallica's '...And Justice For All' famously lost to Jethro Tull's 'Crest of a Knave', but another album was also nominated that evening: 'Nothing's Shocking', the debut studio album by Los Angeles band Jane'…

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S8E407 - Big Drill Car 'Album Type Thing' with Dan Bonebrake 1:12:27

6M ago1:12:27

1:12:27

When this week's returning guest, bass player/musician Dan Bonebrake (The Lightworkers, Dashboard Confessional, The Enablers...etc) was discovering punk rock in the late 80s, he was already well on his way to becoming a 'player' in his own right. Costa Mesa, California band Big Drill Car and their 1989 debut 'Album Type Thing' (or CD/Tape Type Thin…

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S8E406 - Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Original Cast Recording) with Arlan Feiles 1:25:19

6M ago1:25:19

1:25:19

In the spring of 1999, songwriter/recording artist Arlan Feiles received a call from Stephen Trask. Trask shared that he was the composer of a show running at the Jane St. Theater in NYC called Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and he was looking for a multi instrumentalist/vocalist for the show's first touring run in Boston. As soon as Arlan heard Trask'…

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S8E405 - The Fall 'The Frenz Experiment' with Richard Farnell 1:04:09

6M ago1:04:09

1:04:09

For some who had been following The Fall since 'Live At The Witch Trials' and 'Dragnet', 1988's 'The Frenz Experiment' with its more polished and slightly commercial sound might have seemed to be a bit of a sellout. Not so for this week's guest, Manchester record shop co-owner and bass player (The Suncharms) Richard Farnell. Catching them live at a…

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S8E404 - That Song By A LOCAL Band/Artist That Should Have Been Huge Got Me High BONUS Patron-curated Episode 1:27:39

6M ago1:27:39

1:27:39

Yes, technically EVERY band/artist is local to SOMEWHERE - but we asked our Patrons to send in a song by a band/artist they feel never quite got the recognition they deserved. A band that seemed to have it all, but never rose to the level of national/international prominence where they would be well-known outside their hometown/city/state...etc. Yo…

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S8E403 - De La Soul '3 Feet High And Rising' with Corey duBrowa 1:27:02

7M ago1:27:02

1:27:02

This week, returning guest Corey duBrowa (An Ideal For Living- A Celebration of the EP) brings us De La Soul and their groundbreaking 1989 debut '3 Feet High and Rising'. Dizzyingly creative, relentlessly positive and hugely influential, these three teens from Long Island - along with producer Prince Paul - created a world as richly imagined as any…

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S8E402 - Super Furry Animals 'Rings Around The World' with Adam Wiener 1:11:36

7M ago1:11:36

1:11:36

Cardiff, Wales 'Cool Cymru' heroes Super Furry Animals ticked all the boxes and then some with their super-ambitious fifth studio album, 2002's 'Rings Around The World'. From Beach Boys-esque psychedelic pop to 1970s soul to electric gamer prog (OK, we made that last one up), it's a thrilling listen and this week's guest, media and tech consultant …

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S8E401 - Pink Floyd 'Animals' with James Cook 1:08:40

7M ago1:08:40

1:08:40

Pink Floyd's 'Animals', a lyrically dark, musically dense concept album loosely based on George Orwell's 'Animal Farm', is as eerily precient today as it was when first released in 1977. Rob and this week's guest, Portland, Oregon songwriter and multi-instrumentalist James Cook (Trashcan Joe, Captain's Audio Project), take a deep dive into this swe…

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S8E400 - The Flaming Lips 'The Soft Bulletin' with Jonathan Hischke 1:25:55

7M ago1:25:55

1:25:55

For our 400th episode (!!!) we're joined by musician Jonathan Hischke (Hella, Dot Hacker, E V Kain), who brought us a record that got under his skin when he first heard it in 1999 - Rob's too! - and continues to astound: The Flaming Lips' beautifully trippy kinda-masterpiece 'The Soft Bulletin'. "Will the fight for our sanity Be the fight of our li…

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S8E399 - Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection with Nick County 1:10:08

8M ago1:10:08

1:10:08

Are novelty records cool? Probably not, but this week's guest, musician/songwriter Nick County, makes the case that the best ones are artistically valid, culturally relevant and - most importantly - a hoot! We embraced the weird and dove head-first into Dr. Demento's 20th Anniversary Collection. Caution: freaks ahead... Songs discussed in this epis…

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S8E398 - The Radio Dept. 'Pet Grief' with Nathan Levine 53:39

8M ago53:39

53:39

This week's guest, Nathan Levine (Instagram @Boysgiant), brings us Swedish dream-pop band The Radio Dept. and their 2006 release 'Pet Grief'. Lush, evocative melodies? Check. Understated, melancholic delivery? Check. It's a vibe... Songs discussed in this episode: It's Personal, Pulling Our Weight, Annie Laurie, Where Damage Isn't Already Done - Th…

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S8E397 - Late Of The Pier 'Fantasy Black Channel' with Josh Mackenzie 1:09:06

8M ago1:09:06

1:09:06

Released in 2008 and quickly lumped in with the soon-to-be-maligned British nu-rave emergence, Late Of The Pier's one-and-only release 'Fantasy Black Channel' now stands out as a bit of an undersung cult classic. This week's guest Josh Mackenzie (The Joshua Hotel) joins us to unpack this infectiously propulsive slab of sonic chaos. Songs discussed …

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S8E396 - 'That Song That References A Form Of Transportation Got Me High' Patron-curated Episode 1:16:04

8M ago1:16:04

1:16:04

For our latest Patron-curated episode, we asked our Patrons to send in songs referencing a form of transportation. All aboard!! *If you'd like to start participating in these episodes, head over to www.Patreon.com/TRGMH and become a Patron Songs discussed in this episode: Waitress In The Sky (Alternate Version, Tim Expanded Edition) - The Replaceme…

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S8E395 - The Only Ones 'Special View' with Mick Hans 59:11

8M ago59:11

59:11

This week's returning guest, Chicago native and Patron Mick Hans, brings us Britain's The Only Ones and their 1979 US release 'Special View'. While you might not be familiar with the band, you almost certainly have heard their iconic - often-covered - song 'Another Girl, Another Planet', which AllMusic has described as "Arguably, the greatest rock …

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S8E394 - Al Green 'Let's Stay Together' with Nikki O'Neill 59:00

9M ago59:00

59:00

Our guest this week, Chicago singer-songwriter/guitarist Nikki O'Neill, moved around a lot as a child. A LOT. But no matter what life threw at her, Al Green's 1972 landmark soul/R&B release 'Let's Stay Together' always felt like home. "Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad - let's stay together..." Songs discussed in this episode: Let's Stay …

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S8E393 - Megan Mullally & Supreme Music Program 'Free Again!' with Motelle Codeen 1:08:22

9M ago1:08:22

1:08:22

You might recognize actress Megan Mullally from her Emmy Award-winning stint on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, or her many other comedic roles. What you MIGHT not know is that she's also an accomplished singer, releasing three albums with her band Supreme Music Program. This week's guest, Patron, visual artist and self-described potential drag discip…

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S8E392 - Kim Gordon 'The Collective' with Alexander Hacke and Danielle de Picciotto (hackedepicciotto) 1:03:53

9M ago1:03:53

1:03:53

Legendary musician and multi-disciplinary artist Kim Gordon released a banger of a solo album in 2024, the blistering, sonically vicious 'The Collective'. This week we're joined by guests Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten) and Danielle de Picciotto (Crime & the City Solution, Love Parade) - who together comprise the genre-defying, trailblazin…

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S8E391 - Henry Badowski 'Life Is A Grand' with Steve Michener 59:54

9M ago59:54

59:54

What more can be said about returning guest Steve Michener (Big Dipper, Volcano Suns) that hasn't been said already during his SEVEN previous appearances?!? Perhaps not much, but Steve is ALWAYS a great guest, and he returns with a gem of a record that many may not have heard of before - the delightful one-and-done release by British singer/songwri…

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S8E390 - Talk Talk 'Spirit Of Eden' with Tom Lawery 1:05:36

10M ago1:05:36

1:05:36

Is 'Spirit Of Eden', the fourth studio album by British band Talk Talk, a deceptively understated masterpiece or an indulgent musical experiment gone awry? Rob and this week's returning guest Tom Lawery fall decidedly in the former camp. Released in 1988, the record is now often cited as the precursor to later so-called 'post-rock' albums by bands …

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S8E389 - Johnny Winter And 'Live' with Kevin Shields (Detention) 55:01

10M ago55:01

55:01

Before discovering punk rock and forming New Jersey hardcore band Detention with his brothers Daniel and Paul, bassist Kevin Shields was a rock and roll kid. He bought the Johnny Winter And 'Live' album because he thought the cover looked cool, and no matter where his musical path took him this blistering live set recorded live at The Fillmore East…

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S8E388 - Webb Chapel 'World Cup' with Maura Pond (Luna Honey) 1:04:01

10M ago1:04:01

1:04:01

Recorded and mixed over six days, Philadelphia band Webb Chapel's latest release - 'World Cup' - represents the band's transition from primary songwriter Zack Claxton's solo project to a more collaborative effort. The resulting amalgamation of thrilling sonic deconstructionism and top-notch indie songwriting caught the ear of this week's guest, sin…

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S8E387 - 'That Song About Religion/God Got Me High' Patron-curated Episode 1:16:31

10M ago1:16:31

1:16:31

For this special Patron-curated episode, we asked our Patrons to send in their favorite song about religion and/or God. We got an eclectic batch of submissions, running the gamut from the holy to the heretical. Joyful noise indeed! Songs discussed in this episode: Old Time Religion - Pete Seeger; Take Care Of All Of My Children - Tom Waits; Jewish …